the

RAGONLANCE D Tobril

Issue 1 — November 2002

TThhee TToobbrriill A DRAGONLANCE web -magazine

Issue 1 — November 2002

  
 

Table of Contents  Credits 3...... Editorial
Editor  Luis Fernando De Pippo

4...... Ancient Krynn: Bakali Summoning Jars 

 Assistant Editors

9...... Kender C orner: Kender Wizards
Neil Burton and Richard Connery

 11 ...... Player’s Arsenal: Faith Feats Layout & Cartography  Richard Connery 15 ...... Ansalonian Gazetteer: Kharolis 
Cover Artist 19 ...... Behind the Screen: The Classics – Players and PCs  Diego Andres Paredes



21 ...... Community: Tobin’s Miniatures  Inker

Ezequiel Raul Moreno 23 ...... Guest Forum: Long Live the Lance!  Interior Artists  Gaston Bidart  John Grubber
 This Issue’s Contributors:

 Richard Connery, Terry Doetzel, John Grubber, Sean

 Macdonald, Tobin Melroy, Luis Fernando De Pippo,

Bradley Potts and Trampas Whiteman

DUNGEONS & D RAGONS , D&D , DUNGEON MASTER and DRAGONLANCE are registered trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All Dragonlance characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. © 2002 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved. The creators of the Tobril have no intention of disputing Wiz ards of the Coast' ownership of the respective trademarks. The Tobril is written and produced by fans with no affiliation or association with Wizards of the Coast.

The Tobril 2 November 2002

EditorialWhat is this all about? —Written by Luis Fernando De Pippo

Krynn. Like its namesake, the main goal of the magazine is rettings! I am Luis Fernando to provide steady, original content related to all things De Pippo, the editor of the Dragonlance, and to create a comprehensive resource with articles of interest for a wide variety of readers. This means Tobril magazine you are now that you will be able to see gaming content (such as new G holding, and I would like to magical items or prestige classes), alongside reference material (such as an in -depth analysis of t he ancient Bakali explain why we created the Tobril and what summoning jars), next to articles on the Dragonlance you can expect to find in this issue, and the community at large and much more, designed for gamers and non -gamers alike. ones that follow. To fulfill the goal we have set out, your opinion is very important to us. We would like you to submit conte nt or The magazine was born from a conversation between fellow ideas to the magazine as well as to help us get better after Whitestone Council member Neil Burton and myself. We each issue. If you think something should be in the maga - both fel t that a when the Legends of the Lance newsletter zine, and it’s not, then feel free to point it out to us; if you disappeared, a void was created in the community. Legends think a particular feature is not working, then tell us. Feed - was a great resource and its passing is still deeply mourned, back is very important and the only way for us to get better is so why not produce a new e -zine to provide different kinds to know what we are doing both right and wrong. Send all of articles for Dragonlance fans? From there the idea was your questions and comments to [email protected] . presented to the Council and thus the magazine was born. We are also looking for artists so if you think you got what it Neil and I remain the editors of the e -zine and we have the takes, drop us a line . talented help of Richard Connery to make it great. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the magazine! Why the “Tobril”? The name is derived from the book that Gilean was given by the High God at the beginning of time, Luis Fernando De Pippo containing within its pages every detail about the world of Editor of the Tobril Thanks to: G. Bidart is a graphic design student who sometimes gets som e art done. He has done some freelance works in that area, but he's currently living on a nine to five job. He honestly believes he has talent, and his mother thinks he's gorgeous, for what it’s worth.

Neil Burton lives and works in the 51st State of the USA, England, where he claims to be a professional software engineer. He's been with the Council since day one but has, as yet, failed to make everyone realise that they're spelling “colour” wrong. Krynn has been his gaming home for over a decade.

Trampas Whiteman founded the Whitestone Council in January 2001, bringing together a group of talented fans with the purpose of keeping Dragonlance gaming alive and supporting Dragonlance fandom. Alongside co -chair Matthew Haag, Trampas oversees both Dragonlance. com and the Dragonlance Nexus. Trampas is a Kansas City native with a degree in Broadcasting and Film, and has worked in radio, TV, and advertising. Trampas recently spoke at Bertrem's funeral at GenCon 2002, and works as coordinator between the Whitestone Council and Sovereign Press.

Submitting your articles: If you’ve written a piece of fiction, reference, gaming or have some other Dragonlance -related article to show the community and would like to see it in an future issue of the Tobril just send your p roposals to [email protected]. We’re also very interested in hearing your thoughts on the magazine so sharpen those quills and bring out the ink. “By the fans, for the fans.”

The Tobril 3 November 2002

Ancient Krynn Bakali Summoning Jars —Written and illustrated by John Grubber

he following information is an Fifth Day of Yurthgreen, 366 ac excerpt from my journals, com- When I completed my morning devotions, I set about striking camp, only to find my canoe gone, and my piled during my time amongst equipment scattered. The sand could not hide the footprints T the Bakali of Nordmaar, though —large, and three toed —a large troglodyte, or, if my guide was right, one of the Bakali native to this region. supplemented with library research Nothing appears to be missing, except the canoe. This is an exciting development, but it also leaves me stranded in the completed after the fieldwork ended. If the middle of a fast -flowing river. legends told by the Bakali shaman are true, these artifacts are most dangerous, and Sixth Day of Yurthgreen, 366 ac I have been on the sandbar for over a day now. Last night work should be done to find them, or at very torches appeared on both side s of the river, accompanied by least, discover their fate. a hissing chatter —I can only assume my search for a Bakali tribe to study is nearing an end, and the real work will soon begin. Iago Tomasi, Scribe of Gilean Library of Kalaman—Brookgreen, 367AC Ninth Day of Yurthgreen, 366 ac It has been three days since I was able to enter anything in Second Day of Yurthgreen, 366 ac my journal —it has only just been returned to me. I was awoken three nights ago in the middle of the night It has been three days since my guide left me at the Jukana by the sound of dripping water and a sharp pain in my side. I Fork. I have continued up the Devida River in my canoe rolled over to find a group of the lizard men, weapons drawn, alone, but I still feel eyes upon me as I travel. These past two surrounding me. The weapons were crude, made of wood nights, I have been able to find sa fe shelters, but I am in the and stone, but I do not doubt their effectiveness. The two midst of a narrow canyon now, and night is falling. The Bakali in front of me leaned in close, and I reeled under the current has carried me, making the paddling easy, and giving foul smell. They sniffed at me once or twice, before jumping me much time to view the verdant jungle around me. It is back, covering their noses and calling something to their beautiful, there are trees here that rival the vallen woods of compatriots. Solace in size. I have never seen so many shades of green, but The sound that followed in response was a strange hissing even that is broken up by bright plumage of jungle birds or chuff —perhaps they were laughing, I later learned they the petals of exotic flowers. If it weren’t so hot and humid, I were —and that I smelled as bad to them as they did to me. might mistake this for the paradise of Zhan that the priests As I reached under my robe to pull out my holy symbol, one of Zivilyn speak of. of the pair dropped with amazing speed and seized my hand

in an iron -grip, slowly drawing it out as the other pressed a Fourth Day of Yurthgreen, 366 ac spear against my throat. As my hand was pulled out of my I have made my camp on a narrow sandbar, it appears that robe, the creatures’ slitted eyes fixed on what was in my the river does not reach it, so I should stay dry, if it doesn’t grasp. I had initially w anted the symbol to explain why I was rain. there, in hopes they would recognize what a book is and its purpose, but I confess that at that moment, I was praying for protection against whatever they had planned for me. The creature released my hand, only to bark -hiss out to the group

The Tobril 4 November 2002 again, in what had the cadence of a command or sentence of Twenty -third Day of some kind. The assembled group of torch bearing lizardmen (I later Yurthgreen, 366 ac learned the group was actually comprised of males and It has be en two weeks that I have been among the Bakali. females) parted and a strange figure approached us. T hough I My main contact with the tribe is through the shaman. From could tell this one was a Bakali, he was draped in skins, my observations, he is revered or honored by much of the feathers, jangles and other talismans, and in one hand he tribe, and they defer to him in their actions, even the chief, carried a staff —topped with what appeared to be a very but in general they avoid him . It seems almost like they fear human skull. This person hopped towards us, barely leaning him. This is understandable —similar behaviors have been on the staff, hiss ing softly as it approached. It crouched noted among many hunting and gathering folk. They treat down in front of me, shooing off the other pair, and pressing me similarly, though sometimes small children will its face close to mine while his clawed hand gently took hold summon up the courage to peek into my tent, or sneak up of my amulet. I was somewhat scared —given that medal - and touch me before scampering away with their fellows. lions of faith can injure those of imp ure intent —that if this The diet has taken some getting used to —I am not a lover person were to be injured, I would certainly be killed. of insects —but has proven surprisingly diverse. Much of the My medallion saw true though, and this being of obvious time in the early day is spent gathering berries, nuts, tubers power, intelligence and peaceful intent was unharmed. The and other plants, while at small groups leave the village at smell of this one was even worse —it was a combination of dusk and return in the morning with a few small animals liza rdman, plants and other odours —like a walking herba - and mud -lined woven baskets full of insects. lists shop. He reached under one of the skins covering his I have been making much effort to the basics of the Bakali chest, and drew out a talisman of his own —a shard of language, starting with proper nouns, as near as I can pottery on a rawhide neck loop. In the dark I could not make deci pher. The shaman, who has moved into my tent this day, out what the image carved upon it was. He held it closer, but may be called kerr -iss , or that may be his title, as I am in the shifting light I still couldn’t see. He pressed it into my addressed as kerr -itt by the tribesfolk. hand, and I was amazed at its weight —it was easily Presuma bly the word means “student” thrice that of my medallion. The shard or some term or relation to the trembled in my hand —it was shamans name -title. I was teeming with magi - awoken last night by kerr - cal emana - iss , who pressed his tions, it was medallion into my then that I hand before was certain taking my he was a wrist and holy man as pulling me well —no out of the tent. one but a The moon was represen - full, so I could see tative of the easily the jungle paths gods could ahead as we raced along. I still wield such power. stumbled and fell several times, but the I released the amulet, and he rose up, looming to an Bakali ’s steps did not falter once —they must have intimidating seven feet tall, and bellowed out to the group, tremendous eyesight in the dark. before grasping the front o f my robe and hauling me to my He lead me onwards for nearly an hour before we entered feet. I was terrifi ed, but really had no options, surrounded as a large grassy clearing with a small mound of earth in the I was. I started towards my equipment, but was seized by center. It was about six feet tall, and we cut a path through another of the lizardmen, one of the initial pair, and pushed th e tall grass for it. Standing on it, he held his medallion in another direction. As I looked back, I saw two of the above his head and began to chant. A soft wind began to Bakali crouch and gently begin to put things into my pack. I blow, swirling through the grass, and the image on the shard strained to see further, but the crowd closed behind me, and began to glow —outlining the dragonfly image in a fiery opened in front of me at the waters edge, to reveal a large orange color. The chantin g continued and the wind grew, pontooned raft at least twenty feet long, complete with a and soon a buzzing sound began to fill my ears. Few at first, straw -roofed center section. The Bakali that had grabbed me but growing every second, dragonflies began to circle us, urged me aboard while the other of the original two until a deafening cloud whirled around us. The chanting bellowed out to the group, making had gestures as well — ceased and kerr -iss pressed the shard into my han d. I brought perhaps Bakali language has both verbal and somatic it close to my face to examine it, and instantly the components. At once the group disinte grated, and the lizard - dragonflies dropped low in the air, hovering just above the folk darted into the water, racing off in various directions. grass. Kerr -iss took my hand, raised it high, and with a jerk, Six stayed behind, boarded the raft and took hold of large emphasized I should keep it raised. poles, which they used to guide the boat further up the river. Again, the swarm of dragonflies flew up to the height of my hand and began a slow wheeling turn, all the way out to

The Tobril 5 November 2002

the edge of the clearing, like an enormous wheel, with me at potentially thousands of years of tribal history recorded here. its center. Kerr -iss pulled a shell horn from his belt, While I stared at the bundles as pondered pressed it to his toothy maw and blew. I could the implications of their contents, kerr -iss barely hear the high -pitched tone, but its walked around the h ut, looking lower effect in the clearing was amazing. All and lower towards the floor. At last around us, in places where I had walked he seized a bundle and lifted it not minutes before, Bakali stood with from its hook, placing it before wove nets and baskets. Slowly, me. He held out the shard metho dically, the party of about around his neck, and then ten walked in pairs, scooping pointed at the bundle again, net -fu ll of bugs from the before he unrolled it on swarm and emptying them the mat in front of me. into the baskets. This Carvi ng leapt out at me, continued for several dark against the minutes, long enough to yellowed bone. He make my arm sore, pointed at an image of though in my a jar, a carving that fascination, I didn’t rivalled those of the care. So enthralled Ergothian scrimshaw was I that I barely artists in detail level. noticed when The jar carving had a kerr -iss took grid on it, each with a my wrist and smaller image within it. began to c hant One leapt out at m e again. Slowly, he immediately: a dragonfly. lowered my hand and the Other images followed, ants, chanting grew softer. The swarm began to dissipate, and scorpions, spiders and other insects. Another jar image soon was gone. I hadn’t even noticed the basket and net followed, with serpents, frogs, lizards and other small bearers leave either. Exhilarated but also exhausted, I reptiles. Another jar followed that one, with what appears to followed the shaman back to our tent. be clouds and lightning u pon it. In all, I counted seven jars. I spent long hours poring over the bone -scrolls, as I came to Ei ghth Day of Fleurgreen, 366 ac call them. This could greatly add to my research.

Kerr -iss took me to his hut today. The chief met us at the door of my tent, along with several warriors, who provided an Summary: escort across the village. We stopped once, where the assembled group bowed towards a stone stelae , a ro und pillar The Summoning Shards carved like twisted cord, topped with an egg -shape. I Over the remaining months I spent with the tribe, I was able followed suit, and while at first they seemed surprised, they to learn more of their language, and they some of mine. soon continued on. They left us at the door of the tent, and Biology was a hindrance though, for both of us, as we lacked the shaman and I went inside. He gestured toward a finely the features to make some sounds properly. In my field woven gras s mat of many colors, where I sat while he notes I have compiled an extensive pictograph and glossary, retrieved what looked like animal bone tubes, hanging in a perhaps for future release. cluster on a wall. He untied the bundle, and it was revealed If the pic tographs on the bone -scrolls and the legends of to be a set of tubes bound together side by side, an inch the Bakali are true, the jars were made ages ago, even before across, each with carving upon it. Each was set on a spindle, the birth of the starborn races, the ogres, elves and humans. so that it could be rotated, while the spindles were all bound The most powerful Bakali shaman -mystics created them to to each other. help control weather, insect s and other natural forces —to Looking around the room I noticed that there were more allow the Bakali civilization to grow and flourish in the early bundles —hundreds of them. The ones I held were quite days of Krynn. white, but there were others that were ambe r and even Presumably they worked, and became quite important brown with age. The other bundles had red leather bound icons to the people, artifacts of peace, at least for a time. around them, while this one did not. It was then that I According to the scrolls, all that changed. One of the jars had noticed the dangling cords at the end of the last spindle, and been used carelessly, and had become a tool of war. With it, the smooth tubes on the floor. A small stand held another one city marched on others, using the power of the jar to and several small tools. Clearly marked on the tube was the summon storms and swarms to attack and batter them into symbol of Gilean, a rendering of my tent and what appeared submission. The other cities had no choice but to r espond by to be an image of a man —me, if I guessed correctly. Kerr -iss misusing their own jars to defend themselves. The great gift was not just the tribes' shaman, he was its record keeper! that the jars represented was perverted and used for war. I don’t know how long the rec ords extended, but if the bundle in front of me was for Kerr -iss ’ lifetime, there was

The Tobril 6 November 2002

Then one day, the end of the world came to the Bakali manifested. It seems that they can also only be used three or civilization. Snows began to fall, and the ice came from the four times in a month, but this could vary in the hands of south —the ja rs were powerful, but not powerful enough to different wielders. Using a shard is a draining experience, as stop the ice. The Bakali began to flee north, away from the I can attest to. I witnessed its use, and aided in the ce remony, cities and towards the equator, while the greatest warriors many more times during my and mystics gathered on a mountaintop. There were once fieldwork. The might of the Shaman seven jars, but only four remained b y then —two were seems to affect efficacy and destroyed, and another was lost on the seas. The jars were frequency —the greater the placed in a circle (this may be related to the presence of summoners power, the more will he the five interlinked circles in Bakali iconography), and a can exert and dominate what has been great chant was begun, to summon a storm of great summoned. power to mel t the ice and sweep away the snow forever. When I held the shard, I sensed great To do this though, the jars would have to be broken, power within it, but not power like that of a and their full might released. priest granted by the gods. It felt rawer and Though they were initially reluctant, eventually all less focused, as though it was bound within present agreed, and the ritual began. As it the shard, barely contained and very neared it height, the skies clou ded over, unstable. I think greater study is needed. and a great opening formed, above Kerr -iss has met others with shards the mountaintop. Mists and ice during his lifeti me —some have began to swirl, and coalesced into known their power, but many have the form of a majestic -hooded not. Some, he guessed, cannot feel serpent —the goddess Chislev as she the power —he says they are Jarak - is known to the Bakali. A second Sinn , the tainted. Others have fake pillar formed, of fire and smoke, and shards, copies made for some became an image of Sirrion. The reason, while others have shards chanting was halted, and the circle that are worn smooth with age — broken while the gods told their their image, a nd hence their power, children that they rite would fail, but lost forever. The rims and bases of that they must not give in to despair. the jars are of great importance, but Instead, the gods commanded them, Kerr -iss did not know anything of they must break the jars, and give a their fate —he said that the signs shard to the sh aman or greatest will reveal all that is needed when the warrior of each tribe, and to pass it time comes. He seems content to wait. down through the years, until one day they would receive a sign, and a way to Supplementary Notes reunite the pieces and rebuild their When I returned from the field after six months ruined cities. One can only presume they among the lizardmen, I had many tasks ahead of me, obeyed, and the shard I saw around Kerr -iss ’ but the most pressing was to delve into the history of the neck is but one of many. Third Dragonwar and look for references to the completed Physically, the shards and jars are made of a summoning jar, or indeed any of th e jar fragments. tan or sand -colored clay, presumably sun -fired. If my My search was made more inte resting by the newfound estimates are correct, a complete jar is roughly three feet tall, presence of accounts from that war. A stronghold of Galan with an egg -shaped body and a flared neck opening. Below Dracos, who led the forces of Takhisis, was recently the rim there is a band inscribed with as yet untranslated uncovered and excavated in the mountains of Solamnia, Bakali glyphs. In general then, the jars conform to ancient though it remains unc lear if it is the citadel from which he Bakali pottery standards. Where they differ is in the commanded or merely a bastion for his forces. Regardless, decoration. The pictographs are simple, which contrasts with within the ruins was found a chest of scrolls and books, other Bakali art work, such as paintings and carvings which journals and letters of officers in the Dragonarmy and are often quite intricate, if simple in technique. They exist in members of the dark priesthoods that aided the horde. It a dual band slightly above the mid -point of the jar, and circle provided a valuable glimpse at the other side of that war, but the vessel. At the base of the jar there are no feet to support more important to my purposes, it described the jar in great it —presumably it is to be held by the seated user or placed in detail. I have summarized the journals of the priests, a stand of some sort. paraphrasing for clarity and rectifying archaic language they The shards are powerful amulets, and they are probably used . There are no surviving accounts from the Second the greatest relics a given tribe possesses. They are flawed Dragonwar, the war in which Takhisis and Hiddukel tricked though —they can summon what they depict, but they many Bakali into serving them in great armies. provide only limited control once the summoning has

The Tobril 7 November 2002

Summary:

The Summoning Jar The dark priest Savo, working with Galan Dracos, scoured Ansalon and t he lands beyond in search of artifacts to aid them in the Dark Queens war. Their agents traveled in disguise, doing research under the noses of other priests and scholars, all the while attempting to gather secret weapons to turn the tide in their favor. W e can only assume the jar was one of their discoveries. Accounts from the Solamnic side speak often of storms and swarms lashing their forces, but until now it has widely been assumed it was the action of priests alone. If the legends of the summoning jars are true, this may not be the case. It is well known that the priests of Takhisis worked in groups to focus their power, and according to the letters of Audemar of Estwilde, one group was set aside specifically to use a magical jar that had been construct ed, to control and focus the power it unleashed. Other accounts speak of the origins of the jar, how ogres were lead across the continent by several priests, slaughtering Bakali in village after village, all to find more of shards. It was Dracos himself wh o led the reconstruction, he knew only a person of his might and will could complete the task. The journal also speaks of the rim shards of the jar —and how Dracos was obsessed with finding them, even above finding more inscribed pieces. He apparently knew that the rim was where the control would be found, that it was both the gate through which the power channelled, and the ring through which it could be controlled. According to the notes of Savo, his agents found pieces to complete one, buried in the ruin s of a Bakali city in the Plains of Dust. The ultimate fate of the jar is unknown, for the war continued for several years after Audemar’s letter describing the its completion. There is no record of it being found after the surrender, so it may survive, to this day, hidden away in the catacombs of some temple —perhaps in Dracos’ lost citadel itself.





About the Author John Grubber is an aspiring artist and author who lives in the wilds of Northern Ontario, Canada. He is currently working a Fine Art Degree to compliment his anthropology, religion and education degrees. A long - time lover of Dragonlance, he hopes to work in Krynn for many years to come.

The Tobril 8 November 2002

Kender CornerKender Wizards —Written by Sean Macdonald; illustrated by Gaston Bidart

Magic has always fascinated the first kender arrived on the doorstep of a school of learning wanting to know more about the arcane arts. kender. To a race that can get At this time the race was still relativ ely new. Few wizards had ever had dealings with individuals of this new race. Over excited about small shiny the next twenty years debates raged among the Orders over M objects it's not too hard to see allowing this new race to participate. Certainly there had been very few gnomes that had ever been interested in th e how the fireworks and mysticism of the arcane arts, except those that wanted to know how to arcane arts could hold their attention. At dismantle it to examine it's different properties, and this other new race, the dwarves, did not seem to have any the heart of each kender beats a longing to particular interest in it. In fact, they shunned it. So now they know more about or experience magic, just had a new race that wa s eager about learning magic. Those mages who had spent any amount of time with a kender as they long to explore the mysteries of the reported that they felt it was a bad idea. The kender race did world. But there is nothing quite so not show any inkling of being orderly or even capable of learning in a structured environment. Other wiz ards stunning as the look of child-like wonder of thought that by denying kender wizards, they invited a kender staring at a mage as she performs themselves for failure in exploring new areas of arcane magic that had not been used before. In the name of the extraordinary feats of enchantment. Magic growth of the arcane arts kender were admitted into the is just one of the things that makes the Orders of High Sorcery. It was not long before the wizards that had spoken against world worth living in for this race. their entrance proved themselves correct. One thing the kender were apparently excellent at doing was making When the kender race was born into the world thr ough the something disappear and they did it without the first bit of mayhem of the Graygem, the Wizards of High Sorcery had knowledge of magic. Teachers foun d that classroom been getting organized for almost five hundred years, equipment and supplies went missing at the most learning the secrets of controlling arcane magic and shaping inopportune time and most spell components ended up with it into desired results. It was a labor of love for these first the kender instead of with the teacher or other students. pioneering wi zards. They took on dangerous and sometimes Fights broke out and taunting occurred when the kender deadly experiments to catalog the precise hand symbols, esoteric words, and materials needed to craft each and every were teased which onl y exacerbated the problem. The spell. What was once considered to be a loosely structured kender also had a hard time staying in class, and following group of wild wizards had formed int o the Orders of High explicit instructions. “Why only add one pinch of sulfur Sorcery. Mostly human mixed with a few elves, these first when a handful would make a much larger explosion?” The wizards had decided that past atrocities and accidents by experiment of integrating kender into the institutes of magic unskilled mages demanded strict regulations on the use of was considered a dismal failure. magic. No one was allowed to practice arcane magic outside All kender were asked to leave the classrooms and the of the structure of the Wizards of High Sorcery or be future of kender wizards looked bleak. But some wizards branded a renegade. discovered that kender could learn better while on the road. Following the passing of the Graygem, the Wizards found A kender that is busy traveling here and t here will be happy themselves inundated with new races and creatures to deal to listen to any kind of teaching that might come her way. A with and the growth in the studies of magic slowed down in very few wizards did take on kender apprentices, but only order to be tter understand the changing world around them. those kender that showed the greatest amount of discipline Roughly five hundred years after the creation of the Orders and ingenuity were ever considered. Thus it came to pass

The Tobril 9 November 2002 th at a few number of kender did actually make it into the Order. These kende r always refuse to say who taught them Orders of High Sorcery. They learned enough on the road to their skills, and some even claim they learned it on their take “The Test” and the few kender that passed it made it into own by “finding” lost spell books and deciphering them on the Orders of High Sorcery. For the next four hundred years their own. This notion is generally dismissed as a kender kender wizards con tinued to thrive, but only a handful of tale. If a kender can find a mage to vouch for his or her skills kender ever actually made it past “The Test.” and gain access to a Tower of High Sorcery then they may be The Orders were not happy with this latest addition into permitted to take “The Test.” Since so few kender pass it the their ranks however. There were many complaints of Orders find it to be a reasonable course of action to take with missing spell books, unlawful entries into secret rooms and them. private meetings, all of which was explained with The Test for kender is unusually harsh, i t tests not only flippant attitudes and implausible excuses. Plus their skills as mages but also their patience, the few kender that had learned even the lowest responsibility, concentration, and self -control. All of of spells were not known for using them which are immeas urably difficult for any typical responsibly. They used them for pranks and kender to deal with. Kender do not fear death, entertainment. Something th e wizard community and as a result the Test is not viewed as a daunting frowned upon and something that scared the task. As such, those kender that do manage to pass general populace. the Test will usually pay the ultimate price, they In the year 2600 PC the kender race did will lose their fearlessness. That is the greatest price something that would forever doom their future they could hope to pay. They choose to become as wizards. They “borrowed” a flying citadel and afflicted for the love of magic. crashed it into the Sentinel Mountain ra nge of Kend er wizards that pass the test are much Northern Ergoth. The discovery of the more careful than a typical kender when it floating fortress and subsequent reckless comes to all things. They have cultivated a true disregard of it was the last straw. At this point respect of the power with which they have been and time discussions of the Towers of High given. This does not however prevent them from Sorcery had been underway and the citadel was acting like kender most of the time. They are still considered to have been an ide al instrument to ever as curious about the world around them, use. The tide turned against the kender. The one especially when it comes to magic. They will talk or two kender wizards at the time suddenly endlessly of seemingly nonsensical subjects, but disappeared, it was unknown if they had left of now it seems that much more likely that they their own volition, but it was rumored that they might be telling the truth. had never discussed leaving. In most cases this The majority of ke nder wizards are of the red wa s chalked up to typical kender behavior. robes. Although good by nature, Kender wizards An unwritten rule began to circulate that tend use their magic more for the enjoyment of teaching magic to kender was an offense that could be others and for protection, rather than specifically use it to punishable by expulsion from the Order or, sometimes even, further any cause of good. Although there was a pair of twins death. This conspiracy was held up by all Orders. Those of that were accepted into the black robes. This however, was the white robes believed the deception was necessary for the an unsubstantiated rumor. good of the Orders. Those of the red robes felt the most Kender actually make surprisingly good wizards. Their uncomfortable with the conspiracy and started a rumor to quick thinking, and high dexterity make it easier to avoid appease themselves and the kender that incessantly inquired opponents while they are being attacked and their small size about the lack of trai ning. only ad ds to their defense. When casting is not an option They began a rumor that the kender race, as a whole, was kender are still unusually skilled at slipping into the resistant to magic and unable to wield it with any skill shadows and disappearing. However they suffer when it beyond basic cantrips. Over time this lie spread and when comes to concentration and must expend more time one enough wizards heard the theory and the orders to stop focusing on casting spells. Even kender th at pass “The Test” teaching kender the num ber of kender wizards dwindled can get easily distracted. An encounter with a kender wizard rapidly. can be terrifying no matter of you are a friend or foe. Half a century later, construction of the towers of High Sorcery began. A place was needed for a neutral meeting


 place among all wizards. Kender, hearing of this, attempted to visit many of the towers on their journ eys. This, in part, led to the creation of the powerful groves that surround each tower and keep unwanted visitors from approaching them. About the Author Finally thwarted at their attempts to learn magic, fewer and Sean Mac donald has been dreaming about Krynn for fewer kender tried, and the tales of their inability to almost two decades and is webmaster of the largest manipulate arcane magic was accepted as truth. The Orders kender website on the Internet. He is currently part of of High Sorcery had won and kender wizards were almost the Whitestone Council and is looking forward to the never heard of. future of gaming in Dragonlance. He is kender crazy Occasionally, though, a kender of unusual skill and and is finishing up a long awaited kender handbook determination does manage to find his or her way into the called the Kencyclopedia.

The Tobril 10 November 2002

Player’s Arsenalyyy Faith Feats —Written by Luis Fernando De Pippo & Richard Connery

Improved Vivid Recollection 4th -level div ine spells granted by Gilean, hat is Faith? Some might say Int 19+, Vivid Recollection it’s the search for the meaning Insight Divine spells granted by Zivilyn*, Wis 19+, Improved Initiative of life, others might shrug it as Intimidating Presence 3rd -level divine spells granted by Takhisis Mind Shield Divine spells granted by Majere*, Base W feelings of insecurity, still Will s ave bonus +6, Iron Will Nature’s Awareness Divine spells granted by Chislev, others feel it’s the spiritual payment Alertness mortals have to reimburse the gods of Rotted Visage Divine spells granted by Morgion, Con 13+, must have lost one ability point to a Krynn for services rendered. However you disease Sharkskin Divine spells granted by Zeboim, Swim 6 look at Faith, it has shaped the people and ranks the world of Krynn. Sharp Appraiser Divine spells granted by Shinare, Int 13+ Silver Tongue Divine spells granted by Hiddukel, Bluff 6 Ranks The most visible, pragmatic and influential fac et of Faith has Undead Truce Divine spells granted by Chemosh, must always been the priests and clerics of the deities that rule not have destroyed a neutral or evil Krynn; be it for their presence or absence. In this article undead creature in combat you’ll find an ample collection of feats specifically directed at Unholy Vengeance Divine spells granted by Sargonnas*, characters that wield divine magic and spread the dog ma of must have accomplished a vengeance their patron deity; whether you’re a player or a DM your mission once characters will no longer feel like they’re a carbon copy of Vivid Recollection Divine spells granted by Gilean, Int 17+ Skill Focus (Knowledge) the rest of the priesthood. Divine Feats Prerequisite Table 1 ----1: Faith Feats Turn Evil 5th -level divine spells granted by General Feats Prerequisite Paladine, Lawful Good alignment, Extra Animal Tongue Divine spells granted by Habbakuk, Int Turning 13+, Wis 13+ * A monk character that declares this god as patron deity can also Astounding Performance Divine spells granted by Branchala choose this feat if she fulfils the other prerequisites (if any). Extra Healing Divine spells granted by Mishakal, must not have any combat feat Animal Tongue [General] Extraordinary Craftsmanship Divine spells granted by Reorx, Skill Focus (Craft) The character can empathically understand animals. Fiery Knowledge Divine spells granted by Sirrion Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Habbakuk, Frightening Presence 6th -level divine spells granted by Intelligence 13+ and Wisdom 13+. Takhisis, Intimidating Presence Benefits: The cleric, druid or ranger can empathically Holy Attack 2nd -level divine spells granted by Kiri - understand animals. This understanding comes in a feeling Jolith, Base Attack Bonus +2, Any one represented by one word such as “hungry”, “angry”, “sleepy”, feat from the Fighter bonus list “afraid” and “happy”. The character can, likewise, convey a Improved Holy A ttack 4th -level divine spells granted by Kiri - Jolith, Base Attack Bonus +5, Any two one -word feeling that the animal will obey to the best of its feats from the Fighter bonus list ability, unless it is obviously self -destructive (like the Improved Mind Shield Divine spells granted by Majere*, Base command spell). Each use of this feat is a full -round action Will save bonus +9, Mind Shield and doesn’t draw any attack s of opportunity.

The Tobril 11 November 2002

Astounding Performance [General] Frightening Presence [General] You get a bonus while using your Perform skills. You evoke even stronger feelings in your opponents. Prerequisite: Divine spells granted by Branchala. Prerequisites: 6th -level divine spells granted by Takhisis, Benefits: The cleric of Branchala gains a +2 competence Intimidating Presence. bonus to all Perform checks, and gains a +4 compet ence Benefits: All the spells you cast (or activate from a magic bonus to a special type of performance (such as singing, item etc.) with the [Fear] descriptor have more incisive dancing, telling jokes, etc) chosen when the feat is taken. eff ects. If an effect allows a save to negate any fear effects the Also, when using the specialized Perform the character is target becomes shaken even if the save is successful. If an always able to retry a failed or not satisfactory performance effect would make the target shaken, the target becomes once. frightened instead. If the effect usually makes the target frightened, the v ictim becomes panicked instead. If the Extra H ealing [General] effect would make the target panicked, the target becomes The character can heal a little more than others. panicked for twice as long. Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Mishakal, must not have any combat feat (see Special). Holy Attack [General] Benefits: With this feat the cleric heals 1 extra point of The character finds it easier to strike and injure evil damage per dice with any cure spell s or ability (such as Lay creatures. on Hands). It also enjoys a +2 competence bonus on Heal Prerequisites: 2nd -level divine spells gr anted by Kiri - checks. Jolith, Base Attack Bonus +2, any one feat of the Fighter Special: This feat can only be taken if the character does bonus list. not posses any of these feats: Blind -Fight; Combat Reflexes; Benefits: The cleric gains a +1 morale bonus to both Spring Attack, Exotic Weapon Proficiency; Expe rtise and all attack and damage against beings of evil alignment. its related feats; Improved Critical; Improved Unarmed Special: This feat can only be taken once and this bonus Strike and all its related feats; Mounted Combat and all its does not a llow the character to overcome an opponent’s related feats; Point Blank Shot and all its related feats; Power Damage Reduction, if any. Attack and all its related feats; Two -Weapon Fighting; Improv ed Two -Weapon Fighting; Weapon Finesse; Weapon Improved Holy Attack [General] Focus. The character also loses the benefits of this feat if the The cleric strikes even harder at evil beings. cleric ever takes any of these feats. Prerequisites: 4th -level divine spells granted by Kiri - Jolith, Base Attack Bonus +5, any two feats of the Fighter Extraordinary Craftsmanship bonus list, Holy Attack. [General] Benefits: The cleric gains a +2 morale bonus to attack and You gain a bonus to certain Craft skills. damage to beings of evil alignment. The bonuses of this feat Prerequisites: Divine spe lls granted by Reorx, Skill Focus replace, do not stack with, the bonuses from Holy Attack. (Craft (Weaponsmithing or Armorsmithing)). Special: This feat can only be taken once and this bonus Benefits: All the DCs for creating items in the Craft does not allow the character to overcome an opponent’s (Weaponsmithing or Armorsmithing) categories are halved, Damage Reduction, if any. including the creation of masterwork items. The time to create the i tem remains unchanged, as well as the cost of any Improved Mind Shield [General] materials needed. The follower of Majere is able to extend its mind protection over larger periods of time. Fiery Knowledge [General] Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by M ajere*, Base The cleric knows everything about any given fire (magical or Will save bonus +9, Mind Shield. mundane) as well as having a small resistance to them. Benefits: By extending his trance to one hour, the char - Prerequisite: Divine spells granted by Sirrio n. acter can benefit from the immunity to any mind -affecting Benefits: After examining a fire, or the remnants of one, spells and spell -like abilities for a period of 12 hours. Unlike the cleric knows whether the fire is/was natural or magical Mind Shield, however, the chara cter can only use this power and what was used to create it (tinderbox, fireball , etc.) as well once per day. As always any interruption during the trance as the race (but not a specific person) of the one who caused negates the benefit. the fi re; if caused by multiple persons, a mob burning down * A monk character that declares this god as patron deity a house for instance, the character can perceive it was caused can also choose this feat if he fulfils the other prerequisites by more than one person but nothing else. Ongoing spells (if any). tied to the fire, such as fire charm , are known and identified, but not dispelled in any way so they can affect the cleric. Improved Vivid Recollection Examining a fire is a standard action. [General] This feat also conveys a +2 resistance bonus on saving You have an incredible mnemonic capability and are able to throws against spells with the [Fire] descriptor regardless if remember near everything with small or no effort at all. they were examined or not.

The Tobril 12 November 2002

Prerequisites: 4th -level divine spells granted by Gilean, Nature’s Awareness [General] Intelligence 19+, Vivid Recollection (relevant Knowledge You are especially aware of your surroundings. skill). Prerequisites: Divine spells gr anted by Chislev, Alert - Benefits: Your already amazing talent becomes even more ness. inconceivable; you automatically remember any detail that Benefits: The druid is always aware of his surroundings you have experienced, heard or read about thus you don’t while in a natural, not touched by man, setting. As such, the need to roll the check for your favored Knowledge area of druid is never lost in a natural environment, not even when expertise. If there’ s any doubt of whether the character has under the effect of spell as hallucinatory terra in . Furthermore been exposed to a certain fact, the character still needs to roll the character benefits from a +2 bonus to his saving throws the Knowledge check but she enjoys a +10 competence when trying to disbelieve illusions and a +1 bonus to his bonus to the Knowledge check. initiative in a natural setting because of the enhanced Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects awareness. do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new Knowledge skill that you have Vivid Recollection on. Rotted Visage [General] Due to Morgion’s power, the pr iest no longer suffers the Insight [General] effect of any disease Your wisdom lets you gain an insight on what your Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Morgion, opponent may do next. Constitution 13+, must have lost an ability point to a disease. Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Zivilyn*, Wisdom Benefits: When taking this feat, the worshipper becomes 19+, Improved Initiative. immune to every disease for a limited number of times per Benefits: You gain a +1 insight bonus to all attacks, saves day. The advance of the disease he is suffering (if any) stops, and checks, provided you spend a full -round action but the feat does not remove the disease from the body and analyzing your opponent. This bonus applies only to that all previous symptoms (and lost ability points) remain. The opponent and lasts until the end of the encounter, but you character is not considered a carrier of the disease. If the ca n analyze as many opponents as you wish in the following worshipper ever displeases Morgion, this feat is taken away rounds. and the disease kills him in 1d6 rounds. This disease Special: If you face the same opponent in more than one immunity extends to the first number of disease infections encounter previous uses of this feat against that opponent per day equal to the character’s Constitution modifier. are no longer valid and you must re -analyze your foe to claim Infections of the s ame disease count individually. the bonus. * A monk character that declares this god as patron deity can also choose this feat if he fulfils the other prerequisites Sharkskin [General] (if any). Due to Zeboim’s power the skin of the priest hardens and gains the consistency of shark skin. Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Zeboim, Swim 6 Intimidating Presence [General] ranks. Your countenance is naturally nerve -racking. Benefits: The skin of the cleric hardens, provi ding a +2 Prerequisite: 3rd -level divine spells granted by Takhisis. natural armor class bonus and a +1 circumstance bonus on all Benefits: You receive a +2 competence bonus on all Swim checks. Her skin also turns a sickly shade of blue Intimidate checks and all the spells you cast (or activate from giving the cleric a –1 penalty on all reaction rolls. a magic item etc.) with the [Fear] descriptor are harder to resist as their DC is improved by +4. Sharp Appraiser [General] You know when something related to wealth is ori ginal or Mind Shield [General] not as well as being more accurate in your checks to The priest or monk can still his mind and become immune determine an item’s value. to mind -affecting spells for a short period. Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Shinare, Intelli - Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Majere*, Base gence 13+. Will save bonus +6, Iron Will. Benefits: When looking at any symbol of wealth (gold, Benefits: Entering a deep meditative trance, which gems, statues, art) you receive a +2 circumst ance bonus to requires half an hour to comp lete, the monk becomes Appraise checks. If you succeed the check, you automatically immune to any mind -affecting spell and spell -like ability, determine if the item you’re analyzing is a forgery or the real whether beneficial or harmful for an hour following the thing. For example you know that a statue from the famed trance. He can meditate as many times as he wants in a given sculptor Roden is really a cheap imitation or that the day, but an interruption during the meditation means he emera ld of the gold ring is just a cheap piece of jewelry. must start over. Finally, regardless of the check’s result, all error margins are * A monk character that declares this god as patron deity halved due to your enhanced knowledge, experience or even can also choose this feat if he fulfils the other prerequisites Shinare’s guidance. (if any).

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Silver Tongue [General] good alignment are always free to attack the priest. Finally, You can tell convincing lies. even though the cleric’s necromantic experiences might Prer equisites: Divine spells granted by Hiddukel, Bluff 6 entail changing, destroying or rebuilding undead these ranks. practices are encouraged by Chemosh and don’t effect the Benefits: When a cleric of Hiddukel tells a lie she enjoys functionality of this feat. a +2 competence bonus to Bluff checks and a +4 competence bonus to saving throws against spells or spell -like abilities Unholy Vengeance [General] that detect lies (like discern lie or zone of truth ). However, this When in a mission of vengeance, the priest gains divine aid. feat does not offer additional protection if the interviewer Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Sargonnas*, must uses indirect means to uncover the truth (like augury or have accomplished a vengeance mission once. divination spells). Benefits: The cleric gains a +1 insight bonus to at tacks, saving throws, checks and armor class when in a mission of Turn Evil [Divine] vengeance. You can channel positive energy to turn evil b eings. Special: This mission must be a specific vengeance Prerequisites: 5th -level divine spells granted by Paladine, against a named enemy, even if an organization was behind Lawful Good alignment, Extra Turning. it. For example a vengeance vow against the Lord Warrior of Benefits: You can spend one of your turn undead the Knight s of Solamnia is ok but a vengeance vow against attempts to turn an evil creature with Intelligence 3 or all the Knighthood is not. higher. You suffer a –6 penalty to the turning check because During this mission everything that knowingly prevents living beings are harder to turn than undead. The turning the priest from gaining his vengeance becomes an obstacle damage for the turn evil is also smaller: 1d4 + half your cleric and the cleric gains the bonus, but this needs to be an active level + your Charisma modifier. Each use of this feat costs oppos ition. the character one turn attempt from his or her number of * A monk character that declares this god as patron deity attempts each day. If you don't have any turn undead can also choose this feat if he fulfils the other prerequisites attempts left, you can't use the feat. (if any). Special: The character can only turn, not destroy, evil beings. The positive energy protection spell ( Manual of the Vivid Recollection [General] Planes ) offers protection against this feat. You posses an incredible ability to remember specific details even from events long gon e. Und ead Truce [General] Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Gilean, Intelli - Mindless undead ignore you and intelligent ones accept you gence 17+, Skill Focus (relevant Knowledge skill). as one of them Benefits: Through sheer knack or special training, you Prerequisites: Divine spells granted by Chemosh, must can remember even the most obtuse or obscure finer points not have destroyed a neutral or evil undead creature in of a certain topic. You receive a +5 competence bonus to a combat. single Knowledge skill. Benefits: All mindless undead not under the direct Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects control of the priest are unaware of the character’s presence do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new and will not attack him, even if directed by an external Knowledge skill that you have Skill Focus on. source or controller. Intelligent undead not under the direct control of the character consider the priest to be one of them and w ill not


 attack. If an intelligent undead is forced by an external source to attack the cleric, it gets a Will saving throw (DC equal half the controller’s HD + controller’s Charisma About the Authors modifier) to ignore the order. Luis F. De Pippo is a journalist and the only member of Special: If the cleric attacks any undead i n combat, except the council living in Argentina. He works for the those of good alignment, this feat is lost until the cleric government of h is country, which explains a lot about atones (see the atonement spell). If the cleric destroys the current situation, and has been with the Whitestone (delivers the killing blow) any non -good undead the benefit Council since its formation. He is the current editor of of this feat is lost forever. Any action that could be the Tobril magazine you are reading. conside red as an offence (stealing) or an attack (imprisoning) towards an intelligent undead breaks the protection granted Richard Connery has been running his current Dragon - by this feat against that particular undead being for one day. lance campaign for almost 4 years now, transferring it to For instance, a cleric of Chemosh can use this feat to D&D 3E rules in the middle of the War of the Lance. examine the lair of a lich but removing any item, causing He still hopes to run a Masque of the Red Death campaign excessive noise, spoiling, marring or vandalizing the lich’s with his regular players someday. Richard's other den or its belongings would automatically cancel the feat’s interests inclu de graphic design, programming and power; healing the lich’s enemies even when in battle, re ading as much as he can, from physics papers to however, would not cancel the feat. Intellig ent undead of fantasy literature.

The Tobril 14 November 2002

yyy Ansalonian Kharolis Gazetteer—Written by Terr y Doetzel; cartography by Richard Connery Kharolis Overview Proper Name: Principality of the Crown of Kharolis. This is a land in which the cold winds blow continuously off Ruler: Grand Prince “False” Toli Knezar (CN male human the great glacier of Icewall to the south. As such the waters Bbn3/Rog6). of Icewall Bay to the south are littered with glaciers and Government: Independent Feudal Monarchy with here - most of this harsh land is covered with tundra and steppes. ditary rulership, though with little actual control over the The conquered forests of the Qualinesti elves and the various clan l eaders who act independently of one mountain halls of the Thorbardin dwarves lie to the north, another. The king controls the various villages and cities while the endless Plains of Dust stretch east all the way to along the coast, but does not have much authority within Silvanesti. Across the stormy ocean Strait of Algoni to the the interior. we st lay the turbulent nations of Southern Ergoth, as well as Capital: Deepwater, however the actual court of the Grand the unholy menace of the shadow wights on the isle of Prince is located at Hearthkeep , a castle a few miles from Nostar. the city. At Castle Hearthkeep, the Grand Prince of this realm and Major Towns: Alsip (pop. 1,200), Barter (pop. 3,000), the secret priesthood of Sirrion hold sway over the cities Bonfaire (pop. 900), Deepwater (pop. 2000), Halter Wood along the west and southern coasts of the realm. The interior (pop. 300), Hamlet (pop. 500), Swiftwater (pop. 700), Than - of the nation is another matter, as various clan leaders pay Khal (pop. 5,000), Valens (pop. 400), Windkeep (p op. only token homage to the Grand Prince. These clans make 1,000). their living by trapping furs, raising subsistence crops, and Provinces: Various grazing lands held by various clans, by grazing caribou in the norther n tundra, while cattle and which are constantly in flux as the clans intermarry, split sheep are more common along the borders of Qualinesti. apart, or take the lands of their neighbors by force. Feuding between the clans is endemic, with the borders Resources: Livestock (especially caribou), horses, diamonds, between the lands claimed by each clan changing constantly furs, and clo th. due to intermarriage, succession of heirs, or paid as Coinage: Knez (stl), Zupan (gp), Druzynik (sp), Smerdy compen sation or tribute to stronger clans. Though (cp). Currency trades at .75 of Ergothian or Solamnic technically each clan is expected to respond to the prince coinage. when he summons soldiers for military actions, but most Population: 89,000 (estimated) Human 80%, Dwarf 11%, blatantly ignore this custom. The Grand Prince’s forces are Half -Ogre 2%, Gnomes 3%, Half -elves 4%. thus mostly made up with mercenaries hired with money Languages: Kharolian, Common, Ergot, Go blin, Dwarvish. from the royal treasury. Alignments: CN*, N, NG, NE, CE. The settled towns and cities of the western and southern Religions: The Firemaster (Sirrion)*, Jolith (Kiri -Jolith), coasts are quite a contrast to the herdsmen of the interior. Lunitari, Zyr (Zeboim). Founded on a legacy of trade and diamonds, these towns Allies: Duntillok, Hillow, Que -Latal, Tarsis, Thorbardin, possess far more wealth, education and l uxury than the Daltigoth. herdsmen can expect. Though the diamond mines around Enemies: The elven exiles of Qualinesti, Nostar, Colin esti Than -khal are the property of the Grand Prince, the wealth (distrusted). generated from the diamonds ensures that taxes are light. The luxury items of elven artifacts from conquered Qualinesti, furs, an d textiles also ensure that the docks and inns of these cities and towns are kept busy. Than -khal in fact desires to be the city that recaptures the beauty and glory of Tarsis before the cataclysm. However, the treache -

The Tobril 15 November 2002

rous oceans and fell creatures of Nos tar prey upon the ritual, or enflamed by Sirrion’s fire to speak about the shipping lanes, restricting the city’s potential for growth. present of the world, these priests don an all -concealing Aside from the crown prince, the link that ties this realm orange burka which is reminiscent of a candle’s flame. When together is the cult of Sirrion. This priesthood is shrouded in their duties as a priest of Sirrion are through, they slip out of secrecy, entrusted with secrets of alchemy and the t ending their burka and resume their tasks in various levels of of sacred fires. No one other than the ordained know who society. Nobody knows their numbers, but the nature of the truly these priests are. When performing acts of sacred priesthood ensures an unseen and pow erful influence.

The Tobril 16 November 2002

History quickly get lost in the unfamiliar territory of the lush forest Once before the Cataclysm, Kharolis was a vast and powerful and cut them down in a series of ambushes. Instead, he nation in the South of Krynn, on par with the great empires ordered 1,000 men of various clans to dig in and found a of Ergoth, Solamnia and Istar. Their horses were renowned military fort, and to keep a continuous patrol of the northern around the world for their hardiness and endurance, their border. He needn’t have bothered, for th e elves of Qualinesti warriors for their valor and cunning. They also possessed a turned their back on the outside world and adopted the city of beauty and culture in Tarsis, known as the “Jewel of isolationist policies of their Silvanesti brethren, frightening the South”. off or killing any humans who dared set foot in their woods. However, though the Cataclysm left Kharolis relatively After several decades, the clans of the interior grew untouched (with the exception of Tarsis, increasingly independent of the authority which lost its harbo ur) the lingering effects of the reigning prince, and eventually left of the maelstrom in the Blood Sea would the princes received less and less from the eventually destroy it. Everywhere on clan leaders of the tribute the dwarves Ansalon, the dust thrown up by the fiery demanded for peace. Since the princes mountains striking Istar led to a period of could not rely on the military support from darkness, cold and famine. However while the clan leaders, the task of paying the the rest of Krynn recovered as the dust tribute fell increasingly to the coffers of the settled, the Kharolians found that the rain prince and the settled towns along the ceased to fall. The massive and continuous coast. This all changed however, when maelstrom in the Blood Sea forced the diamonds were discovered around the area storms that used to sweep across the of Than -kal. To the mountain dwarves southern land north and the plains and nothing is more precious than diamonds, tundra of the Kharolis dried up and turned for of all the gems diamonds shine the into desert known as the “Plains of Dust. brightest in the torch or candlelight of their Huge numbers of cattle, sheep and caribou mountain homes. Diamonds had also died, famine continued, and warfare for the become unknown on Ansalon, having diminishing resources was endless. Though previously come from the lands of Istar. As a few would eventually learn to adapt, the a consequence Argyle III, the reig ning vast majority of the population scattered prince of the time, demanded the end of and looked for new homelands to settle. the tribute in return for the rights to buy Some of the refugees would join the refugees and the plains diamonds from his people. With great reluctance the barbarians settling in Abanasinia, others would likewise be dwarves agreed and began trading dwarf crafted items from absorbed by the people of Blodehelm or New Coast. under the mountain in exchange for the diamonds and The modern nation of Kharolis found its origin s in a mass foods tuffs. With this new economic development, the migration of people led by a prince of the realm who could villages along the coast boomed, particularly Than -kal which see no future for himself or his people in the now arid land. found its diamonds in markets as far away as Palanthas. As such, he led a mass migration of people in 40 AC across Later, the town of Barter as well emerged as a place of trade the Swiftwater river, into lands nominally claimed by the between the dwarves and humans , with goods shipped up dwarve n realm of Thorbardin. Since it was merely tundra the Swiftwater River in barges. and plains that the dwarves had little interest in, they During the War of the Lance, after the destruction of practically arranged for the Kharolian refugees to deliver a Tarsis, the dragonarmies turned their sights on Kharolis. yearly tribute of 10% of the flour from the mills and one out Prince Yakov was branded a coward for his quick every 10 animal ready to b e butchered. This was to offset the capitulation, but he was wise enough to realize that there devastating food shortages incurred in Thorbardin as a result was no chance his scattered clans of horseman could stand of the war that shattered the relations between themselves up to the sheer power of the red dragons. Instead, he signed and the hill dwarves who had provided food for the dwarves the proper treaties, gave up his crown to a dragonarmy under the mountain in trade. puppet, and immediately began a campaign of guerilla However, a peaceful beginning to the new settlement was warfare i n which he harrassed the draconian garrisons as an not to be. The Qualinesti elves were reeling from human outlaw. After a 20 -year campaign the remnants of the settlers in Abanasinia taking so much land from them that dragonarmy occupation in Kharolis were scattered and he their capital city was practically on the border. The elves reclaimed his crown. At the celebratory feast for his return were determined that the humans would not do the same to to power Prince Yakov was poisoned, a gesture from the the south of their realm, and thus launched a preemptive draconian assassins whom he had forced into hiding. strike against the Kharolians. In 42 AC elven warriors raced His son and successor Lolek II was raised in the rebel across the plains attacking and scattering the newly settled camps, and thus was bored and restless with the domestic clans. The Kharolians though caught off guard, quickly affairs of state which his father left him. As a consequence he ra llied and easily pushed the elven invaders back into the began as serting his power over the clan leaders in order to Qualinesti forest. Though many clan leaders wanted to push form an army that would be capable of expanding Kharolian forward with the invasion of Qualinesti, the prince knew influence over the islands of Enstar and Nostar. Though his that such a move would spell disaster. The Kharolians would efforts were doomed by the sudden outbreak of the Chaos

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War, the military preparations undertaken by the prince Confli cts and Intrigues ensured that his nation was not swept away by the demons Since the throne was bought with gold, Prince Toli has few of Chaos. anchors of support among his countrymen that are deeper Thus, Kharolis fared better than many other realms on than his immediate favors. The daemon warriors and shadow Ansalon, and the Prince Lolek was admired by his people for wights on the isle of Nostar have been growing more his heroism. The admiration by his people turned to aggressive, l eading many to fear that a large scale attack is heedless pride in the heart of the prince, and thus he forgot imminent. Elves exiled in many nations across Ansalon have the lessons of his father during the war of the lance. When started to refuse to do business with any merchant that also faced with the unstoppable might of Bellathrynox the Green, trades with Kharolis. What effect this economic sanction he refused to capitulate. Prince Lolek had faced dragons of will accomplish has yet to be seen, but the elves have been fire and i ce during the greatest wars to ever shake his nation, able to see through any ruse by merchants to secretly trade and he had no doubt he could face and defeat the monstrous with both themselves and the people of Kharolis. wyrm as well. Thus, when the emissaries from Bellathrynox came to his court to demand he swear fealty to the Green, he had those emissaries beh eaded. In response, Bellathrynox flew to Hearthkeep, breathed a poison gas over the castle


 that choked the life out of everyone inside, then used her bulk to push over the central towers so they collapsed into rubble. With the death of the entire royal fam ily, the clan About the Author leaders and village headmen quickly capitulated. Terry Doetzel is bracing for another school year at the The rule under the green was unreasonably harsh, with University of Saskatchewan after a summer of hard the herds of caribou going into her belly, and the diamonds work and hard living. He is currently finis hing off a collected to sit uselessly in the piles of treasure making up degree in history and classics, and will return to school her hoard. Povert y ran rampant, fear warring with hunger in next year to start a degree in political science. Aside the people’s decision to defy the green dragon. When the from D&D he enjoys aggressive sports, homemade agents of the green offered the people a chance to loot and brew, beautiful women, and the meditations of the settle the rich lands of the Qualinesti elves, thousands of her rosary. hungry subjects in the Kharolis joined her mercenaries, draconians and hobgoblins in the invasion. After Beryl’s death at the hands of the legendary elven heroine and mother of King Gilthas, the flash flood that destroyed the city of Qualinost also left many in the dragon overlord’s army washed away into a watery grave. Amidst all this disaster, one man smelled the opportunity. A minor officer in the army rallied the men around him with the reminder that now that Beryl was dead, and that her dragon servants had abandoned her, her lair and her hoard were left unguarded. Toli and his men stole as many horses as they could and rode hard towards the lair of the dragon overlord while the rest of the soldiers were a mass of crazed looters, fighting amongst themselves for the scraps of treasure l eft among the abandoned elven cities. When they finally found the dragon overlord’s hoard, the sheer amount in the glittering piles left them spellbound and immediately the officer realized that there was no amount of power that could not be bought with a treasure such as this. Seizing the treasure, the officer and his men marched back into the city of Than -khal in glory, claiming that he was the son of Prince Lolek II who had managed to escape the destruction of Hearthkeep 30 years earlier. While very few believed his claims, the dragon’s treasure spent liberally assured his acclimation as the new Grand Prince and successor to the throne of Kharolis and the possession of the lands around Hearthkeep which was promptly rebuilt to greater splendor.

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yyy Behind the Screen The Classics - Players and PCs —Written by Bradley Potts

o you’ve gone to eBay and been continually in print for over 18 years both in the form of modules and source books and in a highly successful bought the original 1st edition series of novels which has pushed the campaign far beyond the original series of modules. It is important to not be modules and are facing the overwhelmed. S prospect of running the In this fi rst article I will address the collecting of players for your game and the characters they will be playing. In adventures that started it all. Quite a later articles I will address the major NPCs and how to challenge, especially if you a starting prepare to play them. This is a campaign of personalities, not battles, though there will be plenty of those as well. The DM or even an experienced DM new to success of your own game will largely depend on your ability Dragonlance. to role -play these personalities successfully and to educate your players about their own characters. We will then move Where to begin? They provide you with these prewritten on to other aspects of the campaign, knigh ts, wizards, clerics, characters as did many of the 1e modules of the mid -80s. It is dragons and how everything fits together. a huge adventure spanning 14 modules with too many books Eight characters. That’s a lot. I recommend a group of at to name written about it; Chronicles, Legends, Preludes, least five players, but not more than seven to start. It is Preludes II, Dragons of Summer Flame , Villains, Meetings of always a good idea to keep one character as an NPC as this the Sextant… gives you a voi ce in the party when you want to make sure Okay, first of all, read the Ch ronicles, cover to cover, all they are aware of an option or you think they are three books. This is the core of Dragonlance, the wellspring contemplating something really stupid. so to speak. Here you are introduced to all the major You may already have a core group, if you need more characters and learn the dynamics. But wait, does that mean players, try some of the online gaming chat boards. The we’re using the pregenerated characters? Damn str aight!! various RPGA boa rds are good because you get a pretty high Before Dragonlance, role -playing was really in it’s infancy, caliber of player. Also, use your players to recruit additional “roll” -playing was more like it. Open the door, kill the players. While it is certainly not necessary to match the sex monster, take the treasure, open the door, kill the monster, of the player to that of the character, there are a few dodge the trap, take the treasure… Dragonlance was a whole romances and guys can get uncom fortable about that sort of new evolut ion in module writing, not to say good role - thing. ☺ playing campaigns didn’t exist, they did, but they were far Now you have your players, what now? First you have to rarer than they are today. It was a younger age and the explain to them that they can’t write up their own characters. players were far less savvy and experienced. I have found that they give in after a brief explanation and Dragonlance is not about killing monsters. It is no t about once they sit down and play, everyone is happy. A good way getting rich. It is about good versus evil, true heroism and to overcome objections, especially with RPGA players is to the sacrifices that must be made to those ends. The game compare it to a Classic style RPGA event. The focus is on focuses on character interaction and building relationships, portraying the character well, not min/maxing your stats. and living in the world of Krynn. Next you need to decide who is playing who. Here is In this series of articles, I will discuss many facets of the where your research comes in. Make sure that before you Dragonlance judging experience. It is a highly rewarding reach this point that you are thoroughly familiar with each campaign, but it takes a lot of work to get started and to character. You need to be able to describe the character’s maintain. More material exists about this world than any backgrounds and personalities in such a way that the players other D&D campaign before or after and new material has understand them and can make c hoices that match their

The Tobril 19 November 2002 own personalities and playing styles. You also need to be able and wise. One thing to keep in mind. Raistlin is NOT to say no to obviously inappropriate choices. preordained to become evil. That was the path he followed in There are several good sources for information on the PCs. the novels, but your players will make different choices and Module DL5 is the best primary source. The characters are have different e xperiences which may lead down a different detai led here with backgrounds, personalities, and shared path. histories. Read this through several times and it will make all Sturm is a good character. His struggle with his noble the difference. Again, read the Chronicles. The modules may heritage, his antiquated knightly ideals and the fact that, or may not follow the same path, but the series gives great quite frankly, they don’t work in the world of adventurers insight into the he arts and minds of the PCs. The Preludes leads to good role -play. His impo rtant in the early modules is are also helpful to a point, though many of the adventures limited though. He becomes much more prominent in don’t really agree with either the Chronicles or the modules, modules 6 –9. same with Meetings of the Sextant. Both these series give Flint Fireforge is often my choice to keep as an NPC. He is excellent insight into the characters , but pick and choose respected by everyone but is not the leader. He is a good carefully what you decide is history and what is just story. source of trusted advice. Flint rarely holds an important role I recommend writing up a page or two about the campaign in the campaign. He is not preordained for greatness and and the characters. In this document, you will include all the none of the plots revolve around him. A player will have to basic assumptions of the campaign, no clerics, no drag ons, find his own path to greatness. Cataclysm 350 years ago, etc. Also, you will want a short Tasslehoff will either be loved or despised. Tas is a fun blurb about each character, such as: character who excels at getting himself and the party into trouble. Again, Tas has no great destiny and the player will Tanis: male half -elf, Rng1/Ftr3. Tanis is the leader of the find his own way. Innfellows. Tortured by inner doubts and his own split heritage, his Eight more characters will be introduced as the campaign companions have far more f aith in him than he himself does. A true progresses. Whether to add more players, have players play hero, Tanis feels that his own needs and desires are secondary to the two characters, or just playing t hem as NPCs is largely a good of the group. personal choice. Gilthanas, Tika and Laurana make marve - lous PCs. Elistan has potential, but it is rarely realized in play (even the author of the novels thought he was boring). Once everyone has a character, you will need to have a one - Crownguard makes a good NPC and I recommend keeping on -one with each player to discuss their characters in more hold of him. Depending on the players, they may rally detail . For this, I have written detailed backgrounds and behind the strong leader or they may unite because they personalities drawn from the modules and novels. One to hate him. I’ve seen both. Aaron, Kronn, and Serinda are three pages each, they provide everything a player would really meant to just fill out the parties. Very little back - need to know about their character in one place. Each is ground is provided on them, in fact they don’t appear in the customized so, for instance, Raist lin and Caramon’s players novels. know what happened in the Tower of High Sorcery, but In DL2 a decision will need to be made regarding Eben none of the other players will learn of it unless they are told. Shatterstone. His is, of course, a traitor and everybody knows After all, they weren’t there. it. This is the root of the problem. In my most recent Which characters are important to the game? In truth, campaign I have finally succeeded in infiltrat ing Eben into they all have a role to pla y in the events to come, but some the party. How? I made him a PC! Everyone trusts a fellow characters have more important roles than others, and this PC, no matter how suspicious their introduction. In a sense, importance changes as the game progresses. Throughout the that player is secretly a co -DM. modules, I think that Tanis is a key character. As leader of So in my games, I have to have a Tanis, Raistlin, and the group, it is important he be a PC. Also, as a lot of the Goldmoon. I also try to have a Sturm and Caramon. If I have surprises of the campaign revolve around him, I prefer a extra players, then I worry about the remaining PCs. Sturm player who has no previous knowledge. and Goldmoon have proven the most difficult as far as Goldmoon’s role in the first module is very important. getting good players for them. I have had excellent luck with This story is largely hers. It is a challenging position though, Tanis, Raistlin, and Tasslehoff. a cleric without spells , and a difficult role. I would So now you have a group of players, well briefed in the recommend that this player also play Riverwind, if for no roles they will play. As the game begins, you take on the other reason that Goldmoon is not very effective in combat roles of the NPCs and villains. In the next instillment we and the two of them are a natural match. After module 2, will delve into the important personalities of the campaign Goldmoon’s importance fades, other than the fact t hat she is and what is important to get across with each. still the party’s only cleric. Raistlin and Caramon. Raistlin is such a cool character and a joy if you have a good player, so definitely try to include About the Author him. His conflict between light and dark can be amusing as Brad is a Computer Network Engineer in Chicago IL. the events of the campaign push h im one way or the other. Always an early implementer, he ran his first Dragon - Caramon can be played by the same person, but often the lance Campaign in 1984. He is now busy conver ting the dynamic between the two characters, which is lost if they are original modules to 3e D&D, trying to stay ahead of his played by one person, leads to very good role -play. If you latest table full of heroes. Look for a chronicle of their have a player who has read all the books, Raistlin mig ht be a adventures in the Campaign Journals section of the good choice as it makes Raistlin seem more knowledgeable Nexus.

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yyy Community Tobin’s Miniatures —Submitted by Tobin Melroy

Tanis

Laurana Sturm

Flint Tas

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Caramon Raistlin

Tika

Goldmoon Riverwind

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Guest Forum Long Live the Lance! —Written by Trampas Whiteman

bring everything t ogether, both gaming and novel materials, ometimes, in order to see where and create the most complete Dragonlance site ever. one is going, one must look at I was a bit heartbroken as the Nexus, which began with me, was about to undergo a drastic change, and now my where they have been. It’s focus was to be Dragonlance.com. S always good to reflect, as it Life, though, is abo ut change. We must be willing to change with it, or we will get lost in the currents of the River shows you the hurdles that you have of Time. After I got rid of my funk, I started thinking again, and surpassed, and gives you firm conviction suddenly everything seemed so much brighter than before. that you can continue to surpass those Here we are with a site that is de dicated to the novels, the games, and above all —to the fans. We’re not just talking hurdles in the future. gaming fans, either! We finally have a comprehensive online resource for Dragonlance. There is finally a site that has The Whitestone Council has come a long way since the time something for all Dragonlance fans. of it’s founding. During that time, Jim Butler (then of WotC) So what does the future hold? had announced that Wizards would no longer be producing The future is about endless possibilities. WotC will still be gaming materials for Dragonlance. I was working on my producing Dragonlance novels, and we’ll be supporting fledgling Whitestone Council idea, and a certain Mr. Tracy them. Sovereign Press will soon be producing Dragonlance Hickman had his idea of the Dragonlance Nexus. gaming materials, and we will be supporting them. The fans Destiny went into motion, and the Nexus was born, with will still be writing fan fiction, gaming rules, poetry, and the Whitestone Council at its head. We have worked hard composing music. We most definitely will be supporting for the last year -and -a-half to provide a continued source of them! Dragonlance gaming materials “by the fans, for the fans”. We There are great potentials for crossovers as well! Imagine a eve n worked on Dragonlance Adventures Third Edition (or website where you have a campaign setting such as the War DLA3e for short), the new online Dragonlance sourcebook. of the Dark Lance, and the n you have fan fiction to tell the Sure, we made our mistakes along the way, but we learned story in full! Imagine a website that will show you the from them, and 2002 was looking to be a very good year for endless possibilities of gaming, including how to use various us. handbooks in your games, and giving alternatives for your Early in March 2002, I go t an e -mail from Margaret Weis Dragonlance game. Imagine being able to find anything you saying that she had some very exciting news and that she ever wanted on Dragonlance at one stop. wanted to speak to me in person. I replied back, and soon Dragonlance is finally coming back together again, and found myself talking to her in person. will provide something for novel and game fans, Ansalon That was when I found out that Sovereign Press had and Taladas fans, and 4th and 5th Age fans. We no longer acquired the licensi ng rights to the Dragonlance role -playing need these subdivisions, as we are all Dragonlance fans. game. The future of Dragonlance is a bright one, and is bound in Certainly, a flurry of emotions sank over me. I was excited the endless possibilities of the imagination. May dragons that Dragonlance gaming would live again. Thrilled at the soar forevermore in your heart. idea that I may have an impact on it! Sad that DLA3e would never see the light of day. It soon hit me that I was no longer Long Live the Lance! in charge of Dragonlance gaming. Soon, Matt and I went to meet with Sovereign Press to Trampas Whiteman discuss the websites, as Dragonlance.com was being looked Chairman, Whitestone Council at as well, and a very logical decision was made. We would Dragonlance.co m

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